1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-function starter for driving different kind of devices such as both an engine for a car and an auxiliary load device, e.g. a pump mounted on the car.
2. Description of Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional multi-function starter disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 152840/1980. In FIG. 1, a ring gear 3 is secured at the outer circumferential surface of an end part of a flywheel 2 which is connected at an end of the crank shaft 1 of an internal combustion engine (not shown). A gear wheel 5 is placed in parallel to the ring gear 3 and is connected to a pump device (now shown) used as an auxiliary load device through an rotary shaft 4. A starter motor 6 connected to a battery 11 has an output shaft 6a at the end of which a pinion 7 is placed so as to be slidable in the axial direction. The pinion 7 is moved in the axial direction to be engaged with the ring gear 3 or the gear wheel 5 by means of a shift lever 8 which is operated by actuation of an electromagnetic switch 9. A reference numeral 9a designates an exciting coil of the electromagnetic switch 9. In a line connecting between the battery 11 and the starter motor 6, a contact 10 operated in association with the electro-magnetic switch 9 is provided. A relay switch 12 has a contact 12a connected between the battery 11 and the starter motor 6 in parallel to the contact 10 and has an exciting coil 12b for opening and closing the contact 12a.
There is provided a contact 14 whose one terminal is connected to the battery 11 through a fuse 13 and whose other terminal is connected to the exciting coil 12b through a contact 16. One terminal of a contact 15 is connected to the contact 14 and the other is grounded through the exciting coil 9a.
The operation of the conventional multi-function starter will be described.
For starting of the internal combustion engine, both the contacts 14, 15 are closed to actuate the electromagnetic switch 9 whereby the pinion 7 is interlocked with the ring gear 3 through the shift lever 8. At the same time, the contact 10 is closed and revolution of the starter motor 6 causes starting of the engine through output shaft 6a, the pinion 7, the ring gear 3, the flywheel 2 and the crank shaft 1. After starting of the engine, the contact 15 is opened and the electromagnetic switch 9 is deenergized. Then, the pinion 7 is disengaged from the ring gear 3 through the movement of the shift lever 8 and is engaged with the gear wheel 5, while the contact 10 is opened to stop the starter motor 6.
When the pump has to be driven, the contact 16 is closed, hence the contact 12a of the relay switch 12 is closed thereby actuating the starter motor 6 with the result of driving the pump through the output shaft 6a, the pinion 7, the gear wheel 5 and the rotary shaft 4.
In the conventional multi-function starter having the construction as above mentioned, the pinion 7 is engaged with either the ring gear 3 of the engine or the pump as an auxiliary load device to drive it. Accordingly, there takes place an abnormal wearing of the pinion 7. This results in incomplete engagement of the ring gear 3 with the gear wheel 5 for the auxiliary load device thereby causing generation of high level noises and reduction in torque transmitting characteristic.